We have all been active job seekers at one point in our lives. Whether it was the search for our first job right out of college or during one of those transitional periods between jobs, the conclusion was the same: looking for and finding a job is not an easy task!
In fact, the irony of it is that looking for a job is actually a full-time job in itself. Don’t kid yourself, if you are in the job market and actively seeking a job then you should take it very seriously. This article highlights the most important points that you need to keep in mind and diligently follow in order to land that dream job.
The Art of the Search
Searching for information is a skill, and searching for information about potential vacancies is a downright art. The biggest mistake you can make is to think that the right job will come to you. It won’t. You have to be proactive and actively search for opportunities. This means that you need to ask around, work your networking skills, read up and get informed. The world is a different place these days, and the explosion of information on the Internet means that your next job is literally at your fingertips. Almost all companies have an online presence these days, and many of those companies are advertising their vacancies on online recruitment sites such as Akhtaboot (www.akhtaboot.com).
Akhtaboot offers you a one-stop-shop where you can find vacancies from and information about many companies in one place, in addition to video interviews with company officials and an insight into their corporate culture. You can even build a professional network, which helps you spread your tentacles to hear about jobs from your connections and take advantage of digital word-of-mouth. It’s a different world now, long gone are the days of finding about jobs through newspaper ads, the digital age has transformed the “Art of the Search” by streamlining information into catch-all websites such as Akhtaboot.com.
The Stellar CV
A lot has changed in the job market with the digital revolution, but one thing hasn’t: an impressive CV is a foot in the door. A good CV should be well written and straight to the point, it should be informative (after all, it’s a snapshot of who you are) and above all it should look good. You should work on formatting your CV and take the extra effort to save it as a PDF. Make sure there are no spelling or grammar mistakes and as a rule of thumb if you are under 30 years old your CV should not be more than one-page!
The mind of a recruiter is one of skimming and first impressions. The person looking at your CV is also looking at hundreds of other CVs, so put yourself in their shoes and make sure your CV grabs their attention as a professional qualified applicant and they will take the extra few minutes to read your CV and call you in for an interview. You might want to check out the Career Center videos on Akhtaboot, they have a lot of excellent tips on how you can build a stellar CV that will truly impress.
Although Akhtaboot allows users to upload their existing CV, they also have a great CV builder that allows users to build their CV and generate a beautifully formatted PDF version for their use. You should definitely check it out!
The Interview
OK, you found a great opportunity, you created a stellar CV and it worked… you landed the interview. Well, the easy part is over, all that work was to get your foot in the door, now comes the hard part. The interview is everything and these are just a few things that you must remember:
Dress to Impress
Remember that this is the first time anyone in the company sees you in person, so make sure that you look professional, that you are well groomed and that dress appropriately.
Be Prepared
Expect to be drilled about your CV. You should know it by heart and be prepared for specific questions about your experiences and educations. You should also be informed about the company and the job that you are applying to. There is nothing worse that being ignorant about the job description, and there is nothing more impressive than a candidate that knows the company and the job description very well.
Ask the Right Questions
Asking intelligent questions shows your interest and also conveys how knowledgeable you are about the company. Questions about corporate culture, about the job itself and anything that you are curious about are fair game. But stay away from questions about salary during the first interview unless the interviewer brings it up. You should show excitement about the company and don’t be too presumptuous and ask about financial compensation early on, because that rubs some interviewers the wrong way.
Follow up
It is always good to follow up with a phone call or an email that is polite and straight to the point. Make sure that you get closure and clearly understand what the next steps are or when you can expect to hear back from the company.
The Extra Mile
The above advice represents the backbone of your job search. However, you should always remember that it’s a competitive world out there, and in order to get the best job you must really stand out. You must go above and beyond the ordinary, take that extra mile and show prospective employers what you are made of. For example, Akhtaboot allows users to upload video cover letters of themselves. Not only will this impress potential employers with your technical skills and Internet savvy-ness, you can also convey so much more about your personality via video. The MBTI test on Akhtaboot is also an invaluable tool, and you can also choose to show it to employers so they know your personality type.
